At the age of 3 we started to notice some behavioural issues that didn’t seem to fit the normal developmental range for children. Whether it was speech not developing normally, or the fact his brain was always racing, or his temper, we knew something was going on.
It took a full 4 years, and multiple trips to various childhood development specialists and doctors to finally get a diagnosis. The majority of which we had to pay for directly out of pocket as it wasn’t funded by our local Health Care.
The lack of support from the system has been one of the most defeating aspects of our journey. Our son can go from being the most loveable, sweet, caring little boy to a little boy who gets easily frustrated, defiant & has feeling that nobody loves him, and feels worthless in a matter of minutes. And we have felt helpless trying to find support for him.
Witnessing him being left out in school settings, not being invited to partake in the everyday activities other kids get to enjoy breaks our hearts. He’s only 8 and already feels like an outcast in this world.
Our wish is that we can bring awareness to the gaps in support for children struggling with mental health issues so other families don’t have to feel as alone as we do.
We’ve been fighting for support since he was 3. We feel isolated and alone as a family as the gaps in the system for children with mental health issues feel insurmountable.